Onome Amuge
Nigeria is emerging as one of the most enthusiastic and consequential adopters of artificial intelligence globally, using the technology not merely for experimentation or entertainment but as a practical engine for learning, work and economic advancement. New survey data showcase that Africa’s fourth largest economy is moving faster than most countries in embedding AI into everyday decision-making, entrepreneurship and education, a shift with significant implications for productivity, skills development and long-term growth.
A report by Google and Ipsos, published recently shows that 88 per cent of Nigerian adults have used an AI chatbot, placing the country far ahead of the global average of 62 per cent. The figure represents an 18-percentage-point increase from 2024, marking one of the highest year-on-year rises recorded in the study across all surveyed markets.
While AI adoption has risen worldwide, Nigeria’s pattern of use stands out for its intensity and purpose. Globally, the past year marked a transition in how people relate to AI, from novelty and exploration in 2024 to more functional, problem-solving applications in 2025. Worldwide, 74 per cent of AI users now rely on the technology to support learning and deeper understanding, 65 per cent to save time, and 64 per cent to help articulate ideas in difficult situations. More than half use AI in their daily lives, while 42 per cent explore new business ventures or career changes with its help.
In Nigeria, those figures are significantly higher. According to the survey, 93 per cent of Nigerian users rely on AI to learn or understand complex topics, 91 per cent use it to support their work, and 80 per cent use it to explore a new business or career path, nearly double the global average. The findings indicate that Nigerians are not simply consuming AI services but actively integrating them into economic activity, often as a substitute for scarce institutional support.
“High adoption rates alone do not tell the full story. What is striking is how deliberately Nigerians are using AI to unlock learning, improve productivity and create new economic opportunities,” said Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, communications and public affairs manager for Google in West Africa.
This deliberate adoption reflects Nigeria’s broader economic context. The country faces persistent challenges in education quality, graduate employability and access to formal financing for small businesses. AI tools, many of them low-cost or free, have become a way to bridge gaps in skills, information and advisory services, particularly for young people and entrepreneurs operating outside the formal sector.
Demographically, Nigeria’s AI usage aligns with global patterns but at higher intensity. Worldwide, AI adopters are more likely to be under 35, better educated, parents and higher earners. In Nigeria, these traits are amplified by the country’s youthful population and strong digital culture. Students and teachers are among the heaviest users, mirroring global trends where roughly 80 per cent of both groups report regular AI use. However, Nigeria’s optimism about AI appears unusually broad-based.
The survey shows that 80 per cent of Nigerians are more excited than concerned about AI’s future, compared with a near-even split globally. Among Nigerians who use AI frequently, excitement rises to 90 per cent. This contrasts with more sceptical attitudes in advanced economies, where concerns about job displacement, data privacy and misinformation remain prominent.
Education has emerged as the clearest beneficiary. About 91 per cent of Nigerians believe AI is already having a positive impact on how people learn and access information, while 95 per cent say university students and educators are likely to benefit from its use. For a country where overcrowded classrooms, limited academic staff and outdated curricula have long constrained outcomes, AI-enabled learning tools are increasingly seen as a force multiplier.
Students report using chatbots to break down complex concepts, practise exam questions and access explanations that would otherwise require private tutoring. For lecturers and teachers, AI tools are being used to generate lesson plans, simplify course materials and manage administrative workloads. While concerns remain about academic integrity, policymakers and institutions have so far focused more on adoption than restriction.
Beyond education, AI is gaining traction as a commercial tool. Nigeria’s informal economy, dominated by micro-entrepreneurs, has been quick to experiment with AI-assisted marketing, bookkeeping and customer engagement. Small business owners use chatbots to draft proposals, generate social media content, analyse pricing strategies and even simulate negotiations. For many, AI functions as a virtual consultant, a role that would otherwise be inaccessible.
This entrepreneurial use helps explain why four in 10 Nigerians surveyed said AI had helped them navigate a major life decision, such as starting a business or changing careers. In an economy where formal career pathways are limited and unemployment remains high among young people, AI is increasingly perceived as a tool for self-direction.
The rapid uptake also reflects Nigeria’s digital infrastructure. While broadband penetration remains uneven, mobile internet access is widespread, and smartphone usage is high relative to income levels. This has allowed AI chatbots, which require limited computing power on the user side, to scale quickly. English-language proficiency, relatively high in Nigeria compared with many emerging markets, has further lowered barriers to adoption.
Yet the enthusiasm raises important policy questions. Nigeria currently lacks a comprehensive AI regulatory framework, and institutional capacity to manage data protection, algorithmic accountability and workforce transition remains limited. While AI adoption may boost productivity in the short term, it also risks widening inequalities between those with digital skills and those without.
The survey data show that globally, non-users of AI tend to be older, less educated and outside the workforce — a pattern that also holds in Nigeria. Without targeted digital inclusion policies, AI could reinforce existing divides between urban and rural areas, formal and informal workers, and high- and low-income households.
For now, however, Nigeria’s relationship with AI is defined more by opportunity than anxiety. Unlike in many advanced economies, where AI is often considered a threat to existing jobs, Nigerian users tend to see it as a pathway into work, learning and entrepreneurship. According to analysts, that optimism may reflect necessity as much as confidence.
From a global business perspective, Nigeria’s experience offers insight into how AI adoption may unfold in other emerging markets. Rather than replacing labour, AI is being used to augment scarce skills, compensate for institutional weaknesses and lower entry barriers to economic participation. For technology companies, this positions countries like Nigeria not just as consumer markets but as laboratories for applied AI use cases at scale.
However, analysts assert that whether this momentum translates into sustained productivity gains will depend on complementary investments in education, infrastructure and regulation. As AI becomes a practical tool rather than a futuristic concept, it is an undeniable fact that Nigeria is moving quickly to embed it into everyday economic life, shaping not only how people work and learn, but how they imagine their future in an increasingly digital global economy.
